Senate rejects Nigerian leader's nominations for ambassadors

ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria's Senate has rejected all 47 nominees for ambassador posts presented by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying it is besieged by complaints.

The rejection, apparently based on lack of consultation, came in a motion Tuesday moved by Senate leader Ali Ndume and seconded by minority leader Godswill Akpabio. The senate received more than 250 petitions against the proposed political appointees.

Nigeria has been without ambassadors in places like Washington, London, Beijing and Brussels for more than a year.

Tuesday's move comes after the Senate refused Buhari's request to pursue $30 billion in foreign loans — a surprising rejection from a legislature controlled by the president's party.

It highlights fractures in the coalition which, in the 2015 elections, brought Buhari to become the first Nigerian to defeat a sitting president.